| Author (Corporate) | European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) |
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| Publisher | EU |
| Series Title | Health Topics |
| Series Details | January 2016- |
| Publication Date | January 2016 |
| Content Type | Report |
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Zika virus is a member of the Flaviviridae family and is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. It is related to other pathogenic vector borne flaviviruses including dengue, West-Nile and Japanese encephalitis viruses but produces a comparatively mild disease in humans. In 2007, Zika virus caused an outbreak on the island of Yap in the Pacific. This was the first documented transmission outside of its traditional endemic areas in Africa and Asia, and Zika virus is considered an emerging infectious disease with the potential to spread to new areas where the Aedes mosquito vector is present. In 2016 it became apparent in a number of Latin American countries. Zika has been linked to babies being born with underdeveloped brains. The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the microcephaly condition, linked to the mosquito-borne virus, a global public health emergency. Spain reported on the 4 February 2016 that a pregnant woman who had returned from Colombia had been diagnosed with the Zika virus, in the first such known European case. The European Parliament's public health committee discussed the impact of the virus with representatives of the World Health Organisation (WHO) on 17 February. |
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| Source Link | http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/healthtopics/zika_virus_infection/Pages/index.aspx |
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| Subject Categories | Health |
| Countries / Regions | Europe |
